MANHATTAN -- Kansas State University is being recognized as the best in the region when it comes to advancing the university through special projects, publications, programming, videos, photography and more. The university won the 2012 Sweepstakes Award from the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education, also known as CASE, at the recent District 6 meeting in Denver, Colo.

The university received 16 awards, accumulating the most points for any school in the division for colleges and universities with enrollments of 7,500 or more students. It's the third time in the last seven years that the university has won the sweepstakes award. The top title also was claimed in 2006 and 2009.

"Promoting excellence with excellence is key to reaching our goal of becoming a top 50 public research university by 2025," said Kirk Schulz, university president. "That's why these award-winning efforts by our communication professionals are so important to highlighting the many strengths of Kansas State University to external and internal audiences."

The Kansas State University Alumni Association led the way, earning 10 awards. The Division of Communications and Marketing won four awards, while the Division of Continuing Education and Kansas State University Salina each earned one CASE honor.

"We are excited about this recognition for our programs and for the dedicated staff and volunteers who work so hard to promote K-State," said Amy Button Renz, president and CEO of the K-State Alumni Association. "It is wonderful to be recognized for programming that assists the university in providing student scholarships and financial support. It's also rewarding to have membership and external communications recognized for our continual efforts to keep members of the K-State family linked to the university."

The university's awards include:

The Kansas State University Alumni Association: Gold awards for the Wabash CannonBall as the best alumni event and as the best special event organized around special occasions; gold for best membership appeal for the Life Membership Fire Sale Appeals; gold for best news/editorial or feature photography for the "Cambodian Monk" photos in the K-Stater magazine; silver award for the association's website, http://www.K-State.com; silver for best electronic newsletter for alumni, @K-State; silver for fundraising direct mail promotion, Tradition Founders; silver for series of photographs, "Frozen in Time," which appeared in the K-Stater magazine; bronze award for best fundraising video/DVD, the K-State License Plate video; and bronze for best program mailing for annual fund support, Tradition Founders.

* The Division of Communications and Marketing: Gold award for best multimedia video, "The Phenomenal Women of K-State," which was used as the opening of the university's 2011 Diversity Summit; silver award for graphic design of a series or multi-piece project in four or more colors, 2011-2012 McCain Performance Series brochure; silver for graphic design, single brochure, university viewbook folder; and silver for excellence in best solution to an institutional challenge, promotional materials for the Take Charge! Challenge, an energy-savings competition won by the university and city of Manhattan.

* Division of Continuing Education: Gold award for graphic design of an electronic publication, the division's annual report. This is the first CASE Award the division has won. The report was distributed to university administration, including the president's office, deans of colleges, department heads and to distance education faculty and staff. The flippable electronic document lets readers zoom in to read articles on the division's student enrollment and demographic statistics; a distance education feature story, milestones and enrollment numbers for each college; and special features, including information about the division's grant funding process, program development and overview of awards won in that fiscal year.

* Kansas State University Salina: Silver award for excellence in multimedia-video, unmanned aircraft systems program. The video, created to promote the program and its partnerships with the military and unmanned aircraft systems industry, is available at http://bit.ly/A5S4ry. The unmanned aircraft systems program is the fastest growing academic program on the Salina campus.

The Council for the Advancement and Support of Education is a worldwide organization supporting colleges and universities by enhancing the effectiveness of the alumni relations, communications and fundraising professionals who serve them. District 6 includes more than 180 member institutions in Kansas, Colorado, Iowa, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming.